Just looking at this list it’s easy to see that Hasbro is going for broke with what is billed as the “epic conclusion” to their series of G.I. Joe vs. Transformers exclusives. With two larger vehicles, three figures, and a slew of new accessories it’s easily the most impressive piece in the series. (Last year’s Shockwave HISS w/ Destro and Constructi-BAT was no slouch, however.) For the cost, this set is a STEAL!

For me, one of the high points of the entire set is the Baroness and Ravage which hearkens back to the cancelled statue that was based on early artwork from Dreamwave’s G.I. Joe vs. Transformers crossover comic series. The new Baroness head is awesome and, well, Ravage has been one of my favorite Transformers since G1 debuted! Plus, the VAMP has been and always will be my favorite G.I. Joe vehicle– throwing in Jetfire just makes this set PURE WIN to me. The use of the forthcoming Budo body to produce Bludgeon is just the icing on the cake. (Nice work by John Warden and the guys in Pawtucket on this one!)

Check out Brian Truitt’s article on USAToday.com for some great quotes from both John and Derryl DePriest about this set and start making plans now to snag this one– I have the feeling that Hasbro could never produce enough to meet the demand this time!

I’ve tried to stay spoiler-free when it comes to G.I. Joe Retaliation. Really, I have. I’ve only watched the shorter clips and have avoided asking those fortunate souls who’ve already seen the movie for details. However, some times there are things so amazing that they prove that I’m really a weak weak Joe fan.

Remember that preview footage that was shown exclusively with the Hansel & Gretel film? Well, the crew at ComicBookMovie.com have come through for the fandom and have been able to post the video on YouTube.

Seriously– be prepared for some pure AWESOME.

WOW! WOW!! WOW!!! From the pacing to the camera work to the scoring I was getting chills while watching this! While it may be “just an action sequence” it’s the kind of amazing martial arts prowess that I’ve come to expect from the G.I. Joe comics. Seriously– words are pretty much failing me right now.

The G.I. Joe Retaliation reviews continue as we’re now 9 days away from the film’s debut on March 28, 2013!

There’s no shortage of Snake Eyes action figures in the G.I. Joe figure line so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the team’s ninja commando has already had three figures released for the movie. However, only one of those figures is screen accurate– the Ninja Duel Snake Eyes from wave 2. Featuring an entirely new sculpt and increased articulation, this figure brings our favorite silent warrior’s updated look to your action figure shelf. Does this figure justify the purchase of yet “another” Snake Eyes or can you pass and save yourself some extra cash?

In some ways, the Marvel Comics series of G.I. Joe very much became the story of Snake Eyes. Initially the silent member of the original 13, the black-clad commando found himself to be the subject of more and more of the series mythos until finally for a brief period the title was dubbed “G.I. Joe – Starring Snake Eyes & Ninja Force.” That level of over-exposure, however, did nothing to hamper his appeal because Snake Eyes was written as a character with substance. From his tragic background with the death of his family to his time in Japan to his horrific disfigurement Snake Eyes was the Joe who never gave up and never surrendered. He fought on against endless odds when lesser men would have quit, sat down, and wallowed in a sense of self-pity. For that very reason, Larry Hama took what could have been a gimmicked character and instead turned him into someone who could serve as an inspiration to anyone who has ever found themselves facing a seemingly impossible situation.

During the past few days, the countdown updates haven’t posted at JBL. Without going into details, there was a bit of a medical emergency which kept me from updating the site as often as I would have liked. So, to bring those folks who haven’t see the rest of the reason up to date they will be presented below without comment. (Especially the “14 days” image which even Twitziller felt needed to explanation.

Reason #12 – London Attack

Reason #13 – Costume Design

Reason #14 – Cobra Commander

You can view the entire countdown series below as March 28, 2013 draws closer and closer.

With the exception of the Sunbow animated series, nearly every incarnation of G.I. Joe has featured the Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow conflict. This pair of characters evolved into a classic Yin-Yang pairing– right down to their color schemes! From the epic battle in G.I. Joe Resolute to the famed encounter in the Silent Castle in G.I. Joe vol 1 #21, the inevitable duel of these characters is something that fans clamor for. Their encounters in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra were lackluster at best but the clips revealed thus far promise some truly epic action from the ninja sword brothers. (This time Snake Eyes won’t be stuck hanging onto the bottom of an SUV while Accelerator Suits hog the action.) Regardless of the outcome, any conflict between these two is bound to be rife with tension– and that makes for good viewing!

Twitziller continues the countdown as we are officially less than three weeks away from the debut of G.I. Joe Retaliation. Today’s reason to be excited: the moutain battle!

I have to admit– when I first saw a snippet of this I was a bit floored. After all, how feasible is it to have ninjas fighting ninjas suspended by ropes on the side of a mountain? So I watched the first trailer again, and again, and then I watched subsequent trailers of the mountain top sequence and I saw it for what it was– an insane ballet of blades and bodies that could only be accomplished by the ninjas in the film. This is one of those sequences that will play out like an insanely well-choreographed ballet routine and the end result could be closer to art than “just another action piece.” Given director Jon M. Chu’s insane work in LXD we know that he’s got the chops to pull this off in a spectacular fashion.

Three weeks from now I’ll be basking in the fanboy glow of having already seen the film. The passage of time, however, is a cruel mistress…

Check out the rest of the reasons to look forward to G.I. Joe Retaliation below and check back tomorrow as the countdown continues!

Larry Hama is known as the “godfather of modern G.I. Joe”. A former soldier himself, this extremely talented writer conveyed a soldier’s perspective in his writing like few others could. No matter what the situation, readers of G.I. Joe always knew that Hama’s characters thought, felt, and acted like REAL people who were serving their country out of a sense of duty and honor– no matter what the cost. His writing inspired countless fans around the globe and has been cited by many as the reason they enlisted in the US Armed Forces. Mr. Hama didn’t glorify a soldier’s life– he presented it warts and all.

Now, Mr. Hama is doing something to “give back” to those who served but that bore the brunt of combat more than others. He’s auctioning off an original “Snake Eyes Homecoming” sketch— an homage to the flashbacks in Issue #36 of the original Marvel run– on Ebay with all proceeds from the sale to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Not only is this a change to own a one-of-a-kind piece of original Larry Hama artwork but more importantly it’s a chance to give something back to those who sacrificed their own well-being to protect ours.

Seriously guys, this is one of those moments where I’ll encourage everyone to “dig deep and give what they can.” If you can’t afford the sketch, make a donation to Wounded Warrior Project and help those who protect our freedoms and our liberties on a daily basis.

While I wasn’t able to attend the Con in person this year, JBL has had a lot of help from “on the scene” photographer Photonut! However, he’s also got some help– Justin from Hunter PR has sent along these “official images” of items revealed at the 2012 Hasbro Convention presentation.

One of the biggest surprises are the PVC mini-figs know as “Micro Force”– featuring 80+ blind-packaged collectible figures. That’s right– tiny G.I. Joe figures that are perfect to adorn any computer desk. (You can see where I’m going with this already.)

In terms of G.I. Joe Retaliation movie items, here’s what you’ll see in the images below. (I’m borrowing some details from over at GeneralsJoes.com. (Justin’s done a great job covering things as usual!)